


Simple (Drawings From School Remix)

by hollyandvice (hiasobi_writes)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Adoption, Kid Fic, M/M, Parenthood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-19
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-22 12:49:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22616434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiasobi_writes/pseuds/hollyandvice
Summary: From the moment Tony offers him the ring, Steve promises himself he'll never wish for more than this.Steve wants kids, but doesn't want to pressure his husband into something he doesn't want.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 8
Kudos: 104
Collections: 2020 Captain America/Iron Man Relay Remix





	Simple (Drawings From School Remix)

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Drawings from School (Hearts and Ice Remix)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22623808) by [Neverever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neverever/pseuds/Neverever). 



From the moment Tony offers him the ring, Steve promises himself he'll never wish for more than this. For Tony to be his to have and to hold is so much more than he ever thought he would have, and he swears to himself that he won't squander it. He accepts the ring and he accepts Tony's kiss and he accepts that this is more than he ever thought he would get. He swears to himself that he won't be greedy.

This will be enough. More than enough; he has Tony in his arms and that has to be more than enough. It's everything. _Tony's_ everything. This is all Steve could ever want. All he could ever need. He will be content with this.

He has to be.

* * *

It's on year three of their marriage that Steve first notices the way Tony's eyes linger on Clint's kids. For a second, he thinks of asking, of opening that doorway just a touch. But he knows how Tony feels about Howard, how he feels about his own capacity for parenting. Tony's always gotten that look in his eyes when there were kids around. That doesn't mean he wants--

But, God, Steve wants. He knows how Tony feels about parenting, but he also knows how wrong he is. He's seen Tony with Clint's kids, with Peter, with the terrified and traumatized children they so often run across on the battlefield. IF Tony could see in himself what Steve sees in him this would all be so much easier. So much different.

But that's not Steve's job. His job is to love Tony as he is, to hold him close and hold him tight and let the whole world be theirs for as long as he can. He can't wish for more. He's already gotten more than he deserves.

Steve looks away from the kids and away from Tony. He doesn't catch the way Tony turns to him hope in his eyes that falls away at the sight of Steve turned away from him.

* * *

Steve catches Tony looking more and more often in the following months. More than once he catches Tony with a child on his hip while he lugs them and their siblings out of the fire and brimstone that is the constant villain attacks that they face. It leaves Steve's throat tight and aching, wanting in a way that he doesn't dare give voice to.

Then it's the mornings when they go to the children's ward at the local hospital all decked out in their hero garb. Most of the kids are more excited about Steve and Thor, their strength and invulnerability appealing to the children that are acutely aware of their own impermanence. But every time there's at least one child that stays quiet in the corner, their eyes on Tony as he stands off to the side, snarking and laughing the way he always does. Every time Tony notices, and makes his way over. Every time, before they leave, the child has a piece of the armor or a tiny toy or device that Tony's whipped up just to entertain them. And every time Steve's heart goes a little softer at the sight. He doesn't ever let himself want -- he knows better than that -- but sometimes he lets himself hope.

He never sees the want in Tony's eyes when they leave those children behind.

* * *

Thor and Jane's daughter is what brings everything to a head. They're all crowded around her bed, offering all forms of congratulations while they gently pass Olivia around. Steve doesn't let himself hold her on the first pass, worried that his face will give too much away. He passes her off to Tony, who cradles her just as gently and easily as if he had been made for this. Tony's face softens and he crosses the room to sit in one of the chairs at the edge of the room. Steve can tell that he's floored by the fact that he's holding a newborn in his arms, and it tugs at something in Steve's chest.

Steve sits beside Tony while he holds the girl in his arms. Steve can't take his eyes off of either of them. He loses himself in the want, finding that it swells up over his head with all the strength of a wave held at bay for years.

It's Tony's voice that pulls him out of his reverie, his quiet confidence shattering Steve's contentment. "You _do_ want kids."

Steve's heart stops in his chest. He looks away from Olivia and back up at Tony. "What?"

Tony's face softens. "You do."

"Tony, I--"

Tony cuts him off with a kiss. He gets to his feet carefully and hands Olivia off to Jane. He takes Steve by the hand and tugs him to his feet, pulling him out of Jane's room. Steve goes willingly, dumbfounded by the ease of Tony's confidence. As soon as the door has slid shut behind them, Tony's pulling him in for another kiss. Tony pulls no punches, kissing Steve as deeply as he does right after a battle or in the midst of sex or at before a long absence. It's everything Steve loves about Tony all in one and Steve falls into it blindly, willing to follow wherever Tony leads.

When Tony releases him, Steve lets his eyes stay shut for a brief moment before giving in and opening them. He expects to see Tony looking apologetic, remorseful, regretting that he can't give Steve this one thing.

Instead he looks absolutely radiant.

"Tony?"

Tony's face splits into an even wider grin and he pushes up to kiss Steve again. Just a brief press of his lips, but Steve can feel understanding start to dawn in his chest. "I knew it," Tony whispers.

"Knew what?"

"That you wanted kids."

"Tony, I know you--"

"No, Steve, listen. Whatever you think you know about me, it's wrong. I... I do too."

Steve's whole world turns on its head, leaving his stomach turning. "You do."

"I know we never talked about it before I proposed, but I always figured we had time, and I knew it didn't matter to me whether or not we had kids; I knew I wanted you in my life anyway. So I knew-- I knew I was going to propose to you regardless. And then when you... when you couldn't ever seem to look at kids for more than a heartbeat I thought-- But I was wrong, wasn't I?" Tony's eyes are shining, and Steve can't remember the last time he felt so wrongfooted by Tony. "You do want kids."

Steve blinks slowly. "I mean. Yeah. Of course I do."

Tony narrows his eyes and smacks him lightly on the arm. "Don't say it like that, you can't ever look at them for more than a minute unless we're at the hospital."

Steve frowns. "I can't look at _you_ when you're with kids because you don't--" He cuts himself off, his brain slowly catching up with this conversation. "You want kids?"

Tony's face goes soft, the way it used to when he knew Steve is particularly confused by something the future had to offer him. "I do."

Steve's heart lurches in his chest. It's their wedding vows all over again, Tony knocking him on his ass with words so unexpected that, even now as the reality folds in over Steve's had, it feels utterly unreal. "Oh."

Tony smiles, and Steve almost thinks he could levitate the happiness is so intense. "Yeah, hotshot. Oh."

* * *

Sarah isn't downstairs the first time the two strange men come. She's been sick, like she so often is, and her baby brother isn't much better. She's little enough that she doesn't remember her mommy. Jimmy's the only part of that old life she really remembers. The only part she really holds onto. She knows her mommy told her to protect him, and that's why when the nice people come and ask her if she wants to go away with them she always asks if Jimmy can come with. When they say no, she always tells them she'd rather stay behind. Sarah may not remember much about her mommy, but she remembers the promise she made.

So the other kids from the house go with the nice people and Sarah waits with baby Jimmy as he gets bigger and bigger. Sometimes nice people come and ask if they can take baby Jimmy. Sarah knows she's holding on too tight, but she never lets them take him away. Even if they might be able to take care of him better, Sarah is the one that promised her mommy she'd protect him. She's not going to break a promise.

So Sarah doesn't remember the first day the two strange men came. But they come back another day when Sarah's down in the playroom with Jimmy, and that's the day that everything changes.

The short man with the funny hair on his face is the first one to come over to her. He crouches down in front of her, admiring the puzzle toy she has in her hand.

"That's a tough one," he says, pointing at the toy.

"Not really," she says. She's solved it a couple times before. It's getting easier the more she plays with it.

"That so?"

"Mmhmm."

"Huh. Well then." The man sits down criss cross applesauce in front of her, watching her hands work. "What's your name?"

"Sarah. This is baby Jimmy."

The man looks over at baby Jimmy in his rocker. Sarah watches the man out of the corner of her eye. He's the first of the nice people that has ever really looked at Jimmy before. Sarah's heart thumps in her chest.

"Say, Sarah," the man says, his eyes staying on Jimmy before he looks back at her. "What would you say if I asked you if you wanted to come to live with me and Steve?"

"Who's Steve?"

The man points at another man Sarah doesn't recognize. He's tall and blond and he looks strong. He looks like he could keep her and Jimmy safe. "That's Steve."

"Is he nice?"

The man makes a face like Miss Agatha makes when Grant has done something silly. "He's very nice."

Sarah hums and looks back at her puzzle toy. "And can baby Jimmy come with me?"

This is the part where all the nice people tell her no. Where they tell her that they want to take her home and isn't that the most important thing? That she can go home to a family?

She's ready to tell this man no too.

"Of course," he says. He sounds like he's saying something as obvious as _The sun came up this morning_.

Sarah looks up at him. That certainly isn't the answer she was expecting. "What?"

His face goes all melty like the nice people's do when they pick up the other kids to take them home. "Of course, Sarah. We want you both to come home with us. Would you like that?"

Sarah blinks slowly, her little mind trying to understand what's happening. "Really?"

"Really."

"Like, really really?"

He smiles. "Really really."

Sarah stares at him, trying to understand what's happening. "What's _your_ name, mister?"

"My name's Tony. But I'm hoping you'll let me be your and Jimmy's Daddy."

"You mean it?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I mean it."

* * *

"You're sure you want to adopt siblings?" Steve asks Tony as he makes his way over after talking to Sarah. "That might be more of a challenge than we bargained for."

Tony snaps his head around to look at Steve. "Do _you_ want to adopt siblings?"

"Tony, you know I do."

"Yes, Steve. I do. Because you're the one that told me that siblings are the hardest to get adopted. If we can give these two a life together, then that's the best thing we can give the world."

Steve's throat goes tight. "Okay," he croaks. He clears his throat. "Okay.

* * *

School is an argument for the first month after the adoption is finalized.

"Public school was good enough for me, Tony. It's good enough for our daughter."

"We're friends with some of the most brilliant minds in the world Steve. Why rob her of the chance to learn from them?"

"We're also friends with some of the most socially inept people in the world. Are you really going to tell me that she's going to become a well adjusted adult being homeschooled her whole life?"

Tony huffs the way he always does when it gets to this point of the argument. This time, though, he seems to have something more to say in response. "And what happens when one of our enemies finds her, Steve? Are you really going to ask any teacher to accept that level of risk not only to themselves but to their students?"

Steve's breath catches at that. "We can keep her safe."

"Not if we're both on a mission. Not if we're both away. Steve, we can't follow her through school every day and really let her live her best life."

Steve looks away. He lets out a low, slow breath, brushing his fingertips across his bangs. "You really think someone would do that?"

"I'm not willing to take that risk."

Steve swallows and his shoulders slump. "If you're sure--"

"I wasn't finished. I'm saying we should compromise. There's plenty of people that have kids that are targets. Schools exist to keep those kids safe. It won't be public school, but it'll be something better than homeschooling."

Steve looks up, hope in his eyes. "Yeah?"

"I've been doing some research. Found a good private school with top-of-the-line security and a strong language program. If we station one or two of our people there in the staff, we can keep her safe _and_ let her mingle with other kids her age."

Steve can't quite breathe through the relief. "Kids don't mingle, Tony."

Tony waves his hand in that dismissive way that means he knows that and is only pretending otherwise. "Whatever. It'll keep her safe and let her have something like a normal life."

Steve can't stop the smile that spreads over his face. "And let me guess: half of that top-of-the-line security tech was _anonymously_ donated sometime in the last two days?"

"Please, Steve, you know me better than that." Tony smirks at him. "I slapped my name all _over_ that donation."

Steve grins, moving into Tony's space and pulling him in close. He plants a deep, lingering kiss on Tony's lips. "God, I love you when you're flaunting your everything."

Tony blinks up at him, looking breathless. "Oh?"

Steve smirks. "Want me to show you just how much?"

Tony laughs. "Do I ever."

* * *

It's a really good picture if Sarah says so herself. She doesn't understand why Miss Anya was so upset. Papa always says that the ice was what brought him to Daddy and that even if it was scary, that's okay, because it gave him something really good too. He said the same thing when Sarah was scared to go down the big slide at the pool last summer and it made her brave enough to go down it. It was a lot of fun so that was a good thing. Papa's always the best at helping Sarah not be scared anymore. Daddy makes Sarah want to be smarter and Papa makes her want to be stronger and even though they tell her she's perfect just the way she is she's not completely sure she believes them. All her aunties and uncles are brave and smart and fast and strong and _brave_ and she knows she wants to be just like them when she grows up.

So she doesn't understand why Miss Anya doesn't like the picture she drew of how Papa found his way to Daddy and the rest of the 'vengers.

She tells Miss Anya as much, but it doesn't seem to make her stop worrying at all.

Daddy comes to pick her up from kindergarten that day, and she can tell he's worried when he comes to get her. He's walking too fast for her to keep up easily and he never ever does that unless he's worried or 'stracted. Papa says Daddy only ever gets that way when things are going bad at the company or with the 'vengers, so she knows it isn't because of her. But she's still glad that he came to get her from school. She likes it when Daddy comes to get her instead of Mister Happy. Not that she doesn't like Mister Happy. She does! It's just that she likes Daddy better. She'd never tell Mister Happy that, though. She knows how important she is to him.

She doesn't ask Daddy about work or the 'vengers or anything else that might be worrying him. She knows Daddy will tell Papa and then he and Papa will make it all better. And then Papa will make dinner and everything will be great. Sarah still doesn't like it when Daddy's 'stracted, though. She wonders if her picture will make him feel better.

She waits until they're in the penthouse before she pulls it out of her Captain Marvel backpack. "Daddy, I drew a picture at school today. You wanna see it?"

Daddy's face does that thing where it goes all twisty. Then he crouches down to meet her eyes head-on. "Of course I do, sweetie. What did you draw today?"

She holds her picture out to him. His face doesn't go all twisty again, but it takes a minute before he actually smiles. When he does it's his little one, the one that he shows her and Papa first thing in the morning when the two of them bring him breakfast in bed. He leaned over and kissed the top of Sarah's head. "It's beautiful, princess."

Sarah smiles up at him. "Thanks Daddy." She gets very serious and looks him in the eye. "You know everything's gonna be okay, right?"

"Yeah?" Daddy's voice is thick and heavy. "How d'you figure?"

"Because," she says simply, "we've got our family. And that makes everything okay."

Daddy laughs low, leaning forward to sweep her up into a hug. "Yeah, princess. I think you're right about that.

* * *

"Did something happen at school today?"

Tony turns around to look at him. "What?"

"With Sarah. Did something happen at school?"

Tony looks away, avoiding eye contact. "What makes you ask that?"

Steve steps into Tony's space. The fact that Tony lets him says more than his words. Steve brushes Tony's bangs aside, leaning in to kiss his temple. Tony lans up into the touch. "Because you've got your 'I'm worried about the kids' face on, and I know Jimmy's been healthy for the last two weeks, so this isn't about him."

"I still think we should take him to that specialist Strange mentioned."

"Deflecting," Steve chastises.

Tony sighs. "Her teacher called. Said something about a drawing. I didn't understand until we got home and she showed me."

Steve's heart rate quickens. "Yeah? What kind of picture?"

Tony nudges Steve toward the kitchen table where Sarah's things are still strewn about. He tugs one of the drawings out of the stack and hands it to Steve.

"What's this?"

"You. In the ice."

Steve's stomach drops. "And that's... bad?"

Tony closes his eyes and leans into Steve. "It's not exactly a secret, I know, but the teacher was a little worried about her drawing one of her parents as a popsicle."

"Capsicle," Steve corrects. He wraps his free arm around Tony's waist, pulling him in even closer. "I was a Capsicle."

"Deflecting."

Steve chuckles at hearing his own words thrown back at him. "You're right, I am. But Tony, I don't think this is a bad thing. Whatever that teacher may think, you and I know better. And so does Sarah."

"Know better about what?"

"The ice wasn't a bad thing, Tony. It brought me to you. It let us be together in a way that we never would have been otherwise. I'm grateful to have found my way to you. More grateful than I can even begin to say."

"And Sarah?"

"I've told her as much. That it brought me to you. To her and Jimmy. To all her aunties and uncles. It scared me at the time, yes, and God knows I still hate the cold, but it made me stronger. It gave me all the things I never got to have in the forties." Steve leans in even closer, pressing his mouth to Tony's hair. "It brought me to _you_."

The tension finally goes out of Tony's shoulders. "Yeah?"

"I mean, I don't want you resetting the thermostat in January no matter how much energy it'll save, but... yeah. I'm glad I'm here. I'm glad the ice brought me to you. And that's never going to change."

Tony turns and kisses Steve quickly. Gently. "Come on. Let's relieve Bruce and go see our kids."

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Not a hard-knock life (the adoption remix)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22798717) by [Lets_call_me_Lily](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lets_call_me_Lily/pseuds/Lets_call_me_Lily)




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